The 20 best sailing images of 2013

The world's 20 best yacht racing photographs have been shortlisted for the Mirabaud Yacht Racing Image of 2013, an eclectic mixture of photographs on the high seas.

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In total, 82 photographers from 19 different countries entered, including American Jen Edney -- who here snaps Michele Sighel as he checks his crew on their passage from Honolulu to the Philippines.

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The 20 best sailing images of 201320 photos

The shots span the globe -- in this instance Keel Week Race in Germany, where photographer Ainhoa Sanchez Vidales observed: "Feel the control of the sailor to dominate all the elements."

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The 20 best sailing images of 201320 photos

The award is handed out on December 11 at the World Yacht Racing Forum in Gothenberg, Sweden, where all the photographs are on show -- including this dramatic drop in the ocean.

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Competitor Biljard Guus focuses on the waves ahead during the 2.4-meter fleet racing in the World Paralympic Sailing Championships at Kinsale, Ireland.

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Here Stefano Rizzi poses as he waits for the start of the International Moth class's Italian Open Championship at Lake Garda. He went on to win a relatively wind-less event.

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This overhead shot off the coast of Saint Tropez captures a crew in action away from the sun-kissed French Riviera beaches, highlighting the elegant nature of the vast yachts in action.

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Some pictures highlight the treacherous nature of the seas -- not that the yachtsman in question here looks unduly concerned as he appears to dip into the water on-board the sailboat Elena.

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Photographer Max Ranchi captures one of the competitors in May's Trofeo Conde de Godo race near Barcelona, as he explains in his own words, "coming out of the weather mark, bearing away and ready to set gennaker."

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Here, the vessel Virbac-Paprec MOD70 looks a nanosecond away from capsizing as she masters a course at speed during June's La Route des Princes race from Spain to France via Ireland and the UK, as taken by Josep Sanchez.

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A spectacular offshore picture taken of Spanish boat Desafío Mapfre near Portugal during February's bid to break the Atlantic Ocean crossing record along the "Route of Discovery" traveled by Christopher Columbus in 1492.

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The physicality of sailing is summed up with aplomb here during August's 420 European Junior Championships in Pwllheli, Wales, with winds of 20 knots.

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It's hard to see where exactly the sea ends and the boat begins in Guillaume Grange's image taken with a Canon 5D MKIII during the Mini Transat race in Douarnenez, France.

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Dheer Singhi, of Chennai, tackles winds of 23 knots during a race at India's Topper class national championships. He went on to tie with Vishnu Sujeesh but had to settle for silver on a countback.

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The notorious Sydney to Hobart race has had its tragedies, but this time it was comfortably won by Wild Oats XI, owned by Bob Oatley, in a new record of one day, 18 hours, 23 minutes and 12 seconds.

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Photographer Rick Tomlinson, snapping the all-female crew of Team SCA's ocean racing venture, described it as a "photo session with many good shots, it was hard to chose which one to enter into the competition."

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A glorious blue sky is almost entirely filled by this monstrous 129-foot yacht, with its hard-working crew toiling on a big wave on an upwind leg during the Les Voiles de Saint Tropez race, which ended October 6.

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A boat is immediately in the thick of the action at the Celtic Regatta in Wales' Cardigan Bay, where a strong southwesterly wind over the tide caused a large swell. Photographer Andy Green piloted his own boat and took pictures at the same time.

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An out-of-focus yellow buoy bobs on the surface of the water as, in a distance, Pachakis Ioannis glides over the water in October's Cretan Union Cup, captured on a Pentax 450mm.